Burner assembly for flow-type gas generators



Feb. 15, 1955 w. P. GEE

BURNER ASSEMBLY FOR FLOW-TYPE GAS GENERATORS Filed Sept. 20. 1951nvmvrox. William P. ee

Arneyg 5 .n.9 ,2555555,572.55 I.. lm. A. v`\`\\ S .L n3 O l BURNERASSEMBLY FOR FLOW-TYPE GAS GENERATORS William P. Gee, Plainfield, N. I.,assignor to Texaco Development Corporation, New York, N. Y., acorporation of Delaware Application September 20, 1951, Serial No.247,425

Claims. (Cl. 158-104) This invention relates to uid fuel burneis andmore particularly to luid fuel burners of the kind used in ow-type gasgenerators. The latter are essentially closed reaction chambers, housingburners, and are pri marily used for the partial combustion of gaseousor vaporized liquid hydrocarbons in the manufacture of synthesis gases.

For illustrative purposes, the apparatus of the mvention shown on theattached drawings is for use as a conversion burner, for partialcombustion of methane to form carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Thisreaction is well known to the art, and in general is represented by thefollowing formula:

Obviously, other reactants could be used in burners of this type, andthis particular reaction only typilies such processes. The reactiontemperatures experienced in this conversion process are of the order of2600 F., and one. of the biggest problems encountered is one ofproviding adequate cooling for the burner elements to prevent theirdeterioration at these temperatures.

lt is the primary object of this invention to provide a burner structurefor a flow-type gas generator with adequate cooling means to permitsatisfactory burner operation over substantial time periods.

It is a further object of this invention to provide al burner assemblyin which the individual burner elements and the cooling means therefor,form an integral unit which can easily be inserted in and removed from aHow-type gas generator.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and read in conjunction with the attached drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a burner assemblyembodying the principles of this invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one of the burnerelements,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the burner assembly showing a preferredburner element arrangement, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a ow-type gasgenerator showing the burner apparatus of this invention insertedtherein.

Referring first to Figure 2, each individual burner element comprises anouter tube and inner tube 11 concentrically arranged, the inner tubebeing spaced from the outer by a member 12 having ports 13 extendingtherethrough. The reactant gases, for example methane and oxygen, arefed to the burner elements through a conduit 14 communicating with theannular space between 10 and 11 and directly through tube 11,respectively.

Referring now to Figure l, this shows the individual burner elements ofFigure 2 mounted in a cooling jacket 15. While this member is shown asbeing annular in form, it could also assume a variety of plane gureshapes without materially affecting the operation. In addition, thejacket member may be made un of a relatively large number of segments toobviate any diculty caused by expansion of the heated metal. The upperand lower walls 16 and 17 of the jacket member are bored and threaded toreceive the individual burner elements, the latter having matingprojecting threaded aages 1S and 19. 'Ihe individual burner ele- UnitedStates Patent O ments may thus be rigidly axed to the cooling member inu'id tight relation thereto.

The cooling jacket 15 is provided with inlet and outlet connections 20and 2l tor circulation of a coolant, such as water, interiorly thereof.ln this fashion the circulating coolant lls the cooling jacket andsubstantially completely surrounds each individual burner element. Bymaintaining a high rate ot' tiow of the coolant, each burner element andthe cooling jacket itself is cooled by direct heat exchange relationwith the circulating coolant. In this manner, the burner elements aremaintained at a suliciently low temperature to prevent or substantiallyretard their deterioration.

The individual burner elements may be conveniently arranged in aconcentric circular pattern substantially as shown in Figure 3. Theburner tips which are exposed directly to the heat of the combustionspace are made nearly ush with the upper wall lo of the cooling jacket15. Corresponding tubular passageways of the individual burner elementsmay be linked by manifold members 22, 23 for supplying the reactanttluids to the burners. Figure 4 shows such an arrangement with theentire assembly mounted in a tlow-type gas generator Z4. Only a singlerow of burners and manirold connections is shown to simplify thedrawing.

rlhe generator is provided with an outlet 25 for the reaction productswhich, in accordance with standard practice, may be led to a waste heatboiler wherein the heat would be utilized to generate steam. Whilellowtype gas generators are well known to the art, it may be pointed outthat the combustion space 2o is surrounded by a layer ot' refractorymaterial zl to withstand the intense heat generated in partialcombustion processes 0f the type relerred to herein.

I claim:

1. A burner assembly for use in a dow-type gas generator comprising: aclosed hollow metallic cooling jacket member comprising spaced,substantially parallel upper and lower walls; a plurality otplural-passage burner elements mounted i'n and extending through saidwalls a major portion of the outer walls ot' said burner elements beingthus disposed within the space denned by the walls of said coolingjacket member; a coolant inlet and outlet means mounted on andcommunicating with the interior or' said member so that each of saidburner elements is substantially unitormly cooled by direct contact withthe coolant; and means including closed conduits connected to saidburner elements for supplying reactant lluids thereto.

2. A burner assembly tor use in a ow-type gas generator comprising: anannular, hollow metallic cooling jacket member; a plurality orconcentric tubular burner elements mounted in and extending throughopposite walls ot` said member a major portion ot' the outer walls ofsaid burner elements being thus disposed within the space detined by thewalls or said cooling jacket member; closed conduit means connectingcorresponding burner element tubes for supplying reactant liuidsthereto; and .means altording circulation ot huid coolant withm saidjacket member in contact with each outer wall of said burner elements tocool the burner assembly.

3. A burner assembly as detined by claim l in which the burner elementtips are substantially tlush with a wall of said cooling jacket.

4. A burner assembly as dened by claim 2 in which the burner elementsare arranged in a concentric circular pattern in said cooling jacket.

5. A burner assembly as defined by claim 1 in which the burner elementscomprise a pair of concentric tubular members, the outer of whichmembers include threaded llanges at opposite ends thereof for attachmentto opposite walls of said cooling jacket member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,192,513 schneider July 25. i916 1,843,361 Hageman Feb. 2, 19322,043,867 Rava June 9, 1936 2,430,396 Gouin Nov.4, 1941

